


Happy To See Me?

by xxSilverChaos



Series: Happy To See Me ( Series) [2]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Nick Fury Swears, Tony Stark Swears
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-02
Updated: 2013-05-02
Packaged: 2017-12-10 05:36:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/782409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxSilverChaos/pseuds/xxSilverChaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years after the failed Chitarui attacks, Loki has escaped. The Avengers are on the hunt, tracking down their elusive enemy. Tony catches sight of him and decides to find out for himself just what the God of Mischief is up to. Will he find what he's after or learn something even more surprising?</p>
<p>-Part of a Series-</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy To See Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Post Avengers FrostIron; Based off my previous story, Consequences; Prompted by Camy.
> 
> Takes place two years before 'Consequences', It can be read alone or as part of the series. Updates will be slow, I'm sorry to say. This hasn't been Beta'd. I apologize for any mistakes in advance. Feel free to point them out and I'll correct them to the best of my ability. Thanks.

Tony was speeding down the highway, music blaring at ear bursting decibels, a grin on his lips. Fingers tapping along to the beat on the steering wheel, wind whipping through his hair and he’d never felt more free, save the times he was flying around Manhattan in his suit for the hell of it. 

It’d been some time since he’d last had that chance, after all, being a hero was no summer picnic. Ever since the invasion just two years previous, he’d been up to his neck in reconstruction and damage control, not to mention the new villains crawling out of the woodwork every week. It was hectic. 

Not made any easier by the hours he was keeping. He couldn't even remember when the last time he’d slept was. He’d woken in the lab, phone ringing beside his ear and he’d only just barely/briefly shut his eyes. Instead, grabbing a cup of coffee and a donut he was sure Pepper had left on the counter top earlier, gods bless her, he’d answered the phone only to groan. Waking up to Fury’s voice wasn't the best way to start his morning. It was happening way too often recently. 

Knowing he was already running terribly late to the meeting Fury had called him to that morning, he sped up and wondered just how late he could be before the man finally burst a vessel and maimed him. The grin on his lips turned wicked. Nothing quite made his day like ruining Nicky’s. 

It was just as he was raising the Styrofoam cup to his lips, needing to lose that nasty groggy feeling that his quick jump in the shower hadn't fixed, that he was startled badly out of his thoughts by the sudden appearance of someone beside him. 

“Holy fucking shit!” He yelled, jerking suddenly as a flow of green smoke appeared beside him, forming into the distinctly familiar shape. He swore, angry. Staring at the grim face before him, he locked eyes with Loki. The taller male seemed to study him, face expressionless as if sizing him up. It was only as he looked down that he gained a far too amused grin on his lips. 

Glancing down, he caught sight of a brown stain that was slowly growing along his once pristine white shirt, the warm liquid seeping into his lap and he grimaced. There went this suit, great. He doubted that even dry cleaning would ever get the damn thing clean again. 

His priorities at the moment clearly needed re-evaluating, because there was a very nicely dressed GOD OF MISCHIEF seated beside him, watching him drive along as if he belonged in that seat and it was Tony that was the strange one for being completely freaked out at seeing him. 

At least it wasn't scalding hot coffee, he thought to himself, trying hard to regain his composure. It wasn't anything to panic over. It was only the man that had failed to take over the world, partially because of him. The thought didn't do much to make him feel better, the opposite in fact as he glanced at the road and back to Loki, only to swerve into the right lane as his passenger helpfully pointed out the oncoming traffic of the lane he had moved into. 

“Shit!” He yelped, shifting the attention he’d focused on the male beside him back to the road. His heart was pounding in his chest behind the Arc reactor, threatening to pop it right out of his chest. 

“What are you doing here?!” He asked, only slightly hysterically from the sudden and unexpected near death experience and the appearance of his once worst enemy. He couldn't deal with these surprises, dammit. It was way too early for this. 

“Why, Stark, you almost sound as if you’re not pleased to see me.” The god had the gull to say to him, the growing smirk on the God of Mischief’s lips as unwelcome as the man himself was and he grimaced in response. 

“Not that I’m not happy to see your pretty face,” He began, looking ahead to the light that was just changing red. Cursing under his breath, he began to slow down, before continuing, “but shouldn't you be off reeking havoc on some poor unsuspecting town, I dunno, somewhere far far away from here?”

He questioned the other casually, shifting his gaze between the man at his side and the road. He was grateful for the sunglasses obscuring his face, as the car rolled to a stop behind the early bird traffic. Not that he thought they would help him hide from the God of Lies himself. The male probably saw right through him at the moment.

Though Tony could honestly say he wasn't too surprised the other had escaped when it really came down to it, hearing the news from Thor just months before hadn't been easy. The team had been on high alert for weeks, before slowly calming down as the days passed and Loki and his golden horns were nowhere to be seen.

The first spotting of him had been surprising. He’d been sitting in a coffee shop, calm as you please, not even glancing up as Tony slid in across from him. The following conversation was enlightening to say the least. The God had glanced up at him, pushed a cup of coffee in front of him and greeted him with a casual, ‘Stark’.

Lost on what to do after that, having planned to threaten him and being thrown totally off course by the others casual tone, he fiddled with the cup just to give him something to do. It was only after a few more moments of silence, Loki’s eyes on the book in front of him, that Tony blurt out the questions plaguing him.

It was just so odd to see the Asgardian like this, sitting around, among mortals, not even trying to kill them. Completely unnatural and he’d told him so. The following snarky banter, witty comments, and harshly whispered arguments had ended with them splitting their separate ways. Tony had returned to the tower and told no one.

That conversation however, had not been the end of it. He’d spotted the other quite a few times in the weeks following, always at a distance, but the God never so much as looked his way. It was irritating and dare he say, interesting. Something about the other had caught his attention and held it. The urge to know more was a constant nagging at the back of his thoughts.

He was was pulled from his reminiscing as the god at his side cleared his throat, the honking of cars behind him filling his ears as the cars before him drove off and he was left idling there before the green light. He flushed, stepping on the gas and the car roared forward, leaving the others in the dust.

Loki was grinning faintly, glancing out at the passing scenery and giving Tony a chance to study his profile. “Are every one of your mornings as exciting as this one?”

The amused tone in the others voice didn't lift his spirits any and he tightens his grip on the wheel. “You didn't answer my questions.” He said instead of answering, his thoughts betraying him as they lingered around memories of previous Loki sightings. He had the strangest feeling he was stalking the other male, it was creepy in a way.

“I thought it was fairly obvious. It has been some time since I've ‘reeked havoc’ as it were. In fact, as I recall, I've done nothing mischievous at all.” The others slightly amused tone had gained a wicked edge.

“So what, you thought you’d make up for that by scaring me to death?” Tony asked incredulously, but his lips were fighting a losing battle against a smile. He couldn't help but think that it was him the god had turned to. Something about that was boosting his ego and it shouldn't be, dammit.

“Indeed, that’s exactly it. How was I to know you’d scare so easily?” He was sarcastic, but the amused grin hadn't left his lips. Instead, he turned brilliant green eyes to the man driving.

“Tell me, Stark, are all mortals so easily frightened?” The teasing tone was back with a vengeance and Tony felt helplessly lost once again in the face of the fact that Loki was playing with him. Was this really the same man that had thrown him out a window all those years ago?

“Seeing as your little stunt almost killed me, I’d think the fright was justified.” His voice was grumbling complaints about being called weak. It wasn't his fault that lack of sleep had made him jumpy. Loki just seemed to have that kind of timing.

“Oh do stop being so dramatic, that kind of crash would only have maimed you, at best.”

“Thank you for that oh so comforting reassurance.”

“You are welcome, Stark.”

Tony rolled his eyes, but lost the battle against his smile. It was nice, bantering with Loki like this. Yea, the guy was crazier then a bag of cats and had tried to take over the world, not to mention kill him and those 80 others he’d succeeded in killing, but all in all, the guy really wasn't so bad.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, he screeched to a halt and even Loki wasn't spared from the jolt of the sudden stop. Complaining quietly, the male narrowed eyes at him, but Tony was staring blankly at the wheel in his hands. He looked up quickly as Loki waved fingers in his face, green sparking off them dangerously close to him.

Pulling back, he blinked and the other was looking at him with a raised brow. “Is there a reason why we've stopped?”

The words snapped him out of his daze and he cleared his throat. “I’m just wondering about something.”

The male’s brow lowered and he seemed to give him a look that asked him to continue, so he asked the question suddenly lingering in his thoughts.

“Why aren't you…you know, taking over the world, I am the boot, my purpose is glorious? Roar.”

Loki watched him, the amused smile on his lips fading back into the familiar non-expression and he felt guilty for bringing it up, because they’d been having fun and this might get him killed, except he knew it wouldn't and he really wanted to know.

“Why do you think I tried to rule this world, Stark?”

The question kind of surprised him and he sat silently, actually taking the time to think about it, because if Loki was asking him like this, there was an answer that wasn't the obvious and so what was it? Tony didn't like not knowing things.

There had to be something that he wasn't grasping, because as far as he knew, Loki had done it in revenge. Revenge for his father’s lies, for his brother’s shadow, for power, for the Tesseract, for his allies, The Chitauri, but something told him that these were wrong, because Loki was sitting there, not quite looking at him as he gazed as the dash in front of him.

He was waiting, expectant and for some reason, he felt that the answer to this question was important to Loki. He couldn't mess this up. “You didn't.”

The surprise on the others face was almost clearly reflected on his own. The answer had left him without him realizing, but as he watched Loki’s startled eyes, he realized it was true. Loki hadn't been trying to take over the Earth. Why? How did he reach that conclusion? How did he know, because it felt like he knew, he just knew he was right.

He tried to trace back his thoughts, thinking hard on all that had happened two years ago. The people he’d killed, the destruction and mayhem and chaos clouding his memories and Coulson’s death and there was so much anger there, but it was the small things that stood out to him.

How Loki had looked coming out of the portal, the sickeningly blue color of his eyes, Thor’s words about a brother who had fallen, who had let go, Loki’s plan that had almost succeeded but had failed, the way the male had lost gracefully in the end, allowing Thor to take him away to Asgard. The way he so easily escaped.

Tony didn't doubt for a moment that if Loki had been serious about ruling them, he could have, easily. The other was a God, the god, the bringing of the end of the world and it was foolishly naive to think that a group of slightly special humans could take down someone who had lived for thousands of years and had faced things so much more powerful, so much more deadly.

The realization was startling and humbling all at once and his questions now were endless, but he didn't say a thing as he watched Loki study him with that look that said, he hadn't expected Tony’s answer.

“Stark. Do you have any idea just what you’re implying?” Loki asked and it seemed his surprise simply eased away. It was replaced by an upturn of lips that could almost be called a smile, though it was bittersweet.

“I’m right, aren't I?” He stated, knowing he was. Everything, all the pieces were starting to click together, but there were pieces missing, the bigger picture, because if Loki hadn't meant to rule Earth, then what exactly was all that, two years ago.

“Perhaps you mortals are a fair bit smarter then I've given you credit for.” Loki replied and like that the seriousness of the moment was broken and Tony grinned.

“No, not mortals, just me.” Loki looked amused at his reply, lips tugging into that familiar smirk. The sight of it had him cheering up quite a bit and he was glad the other wasn't angry.

His morning was really starting to look up. He might just be able to get used to this, spending time with Loki. Finding himself vaguely horrified at the thought, he shook his head. Now was not the time to dwell on the team and their reaction. He’d only just gotten an answer and he was going to enjoy the moment.

Loki opened his mouth to reply, the sound of honking filtered in, interrupting him and Tony remembered he was just stopped in the middle of the road. Probably in violation of a number of different laws and this really wasn't the place for this kind of conversation.

Driving was silent for a few moments as they continued forward, turning up ahead and the sight of SHIELD’s hideout was visible in the far distance. He glanced over to Loki, wondering if the other was going to disappear on him, but he was simply watching the scenery.

The silence wasn't awkward or anything, but Tony felt the urge to say something. Before he could think of what to say, the phone in his pocket rang. Reaching over to turn down the music, he realized that it wasn't on. Blinking in surprise, he wondered when exactly it had stopped.

Loki had tilted his head, glancing towards him. The look on his face seemed to mock Tony for only just now realizing. He frowned at the other who only chuckled. “Should you not answer that, Stark?”

Tony didn't reply, instead pulling the phone from his pocket and glancing at the caller id. It was Fury, just as Tony knew it would be. He cut the call, setting the phone down as he turned back to the road.

The God was curious, eyes on the phone and with a glance up at Tony, he snatched it up and began to fiddle with the thing. Stark turned to look at him and the male ignored him, curious of the device. Tony was amused and impressed at once.

The first time Thor had gotten his hands on a Stark Phone, the thing had exploded. Loki was handling the thing like a professional, tapping away at the screen even as he learned what each button does. It brought a smile to his lips and he turned hastily away as Loki glanced over at him.

The phone rang again and Loki looked down at it. He pressed a button on the screen and the noise stopped. He was distracted for a few more minutes with it, before it rang again. Loki pressed another button and Nick Fury’s voice burst from the thing.

“STARK, YOU WERE NEEDED HERE AN HOUR AGO. GET YOUR ASS HERE NOW.”

The two were looking at the phone and slowly, so terribly slowly, the most wicked gleam entered Loki’s eyes. Tony knew that look promised trouble.

Taking a hand off the wheel, he snatched the phone away from the mischievous god and brought it to his ear. “Fury! Just the man I wanted to hear from. Listen, about that meeting, I’m not sure I’ll be able to ma—”

His words cut off in a squeak, a sound he'd deny making to his dying day. Looking over in shock that quickly turned to narrowed eyes, he pushed Loki's hand away from his thigh with a curse.

Fury's voice was dark as he replied with a sudden calm that didn't fit the situation, "Stark, where are you?"

"I was just on my way there, Nicky! No need to get your panties in a twist." His words were calm even as he froze, the pale hand he'd pushed away suddenly back, long fingers inching higher as Loki leaned across the dash between them.

Long black hair tickled at his cheek as the male leaned in, placing an ear against the phone as if he too wanted to hear. He felt strange having the murderous psychopath he was just starting to kind of like this close.


End file.
